899 

 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28th, 1891. 



ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 



Dr. J. C. Cox, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The minutes of the last Annual Meeting were read and confirmed. 



The Rev. A. E. David, M.A., was introduced to the meeting 

 as a visitor. 



The Chairman then delivered the Annual Address, as follows : — 



Gentlemen. — Under the very exceptional and melancholy 

 circumstances in which I am called upon to address you this 

 evening, I feel sure that at the outset I may confidently lay claim 

 to your consideration and forbearance. But little more than two 

 short months ago there seemed every prospect, humanly speaking, 

 of our esteemed President completing his term of office in the 

 usual manner, and of his addressing you on this the occasion of 

 our annual reunion in his own happy and instructive manner. 

 As you already know, events have happened otherwise. 



The year which has recently closed has not been a whit behind 

 some of its immediate predecessors in furnishing the community, 

 as a whole or in part, with excitement, and abundant food for 

 reflection. The preliminary steps towards making intercolonial 

 federation a reality, a phenomenally wet season accompanied by 

 floods, a strike of prodigious magnitude and far-reaching impor- 

 tance, a practical acquaintance with the influenza epidemic, and 

 political unrest, have, among other events, ettectually served to 

 arouse public attention, and to prevent our relapsing into lethargy 

 and indifference. To us, as a Society, it has been especially note- 

 worthy as a year of bereavement. For though for a time, notwith- 

 standing the combination of disturbing elements above referred to, 

 our Society held quietly on the even tenor of its way undismayed 



